Friends of the Congo

"We are not alone. Africa, Asia and free and liberated people from every corner of the world will always be found at the side of the Congolese" by Patrice Lumumba

Friday, September 18, 2015

Letter From G7 to President Kabila

Kinshasa September 14, 2015
Copy for information
To members of the Political Bureau of the Presidential Majority, MP

ALL IN KINSHASA

To his Excellency Mr. Joseph Kabila Kabange
President of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Moral Authority of Presidential Majority
IN KINSHASA/GOMBE
(With the expression of our most deferent tribute)

His Excellency, the President of the Republic

1. Let us be allowed to recall that ten years ago, the call to general mobilization and rehabilitation of the country, you invited us to join you in order to establish a welded political family around a shared vision for the future of the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the framework of a new political order established by a new constitution.

2. Together we conducted the campaign which led to the adoption of that constitution on December 19, 2005, by 85 percent of Congolese population.

3. This is the occasion for us, Mr. President of the Republic to recall and affirm that the partnership we have committed ten years ago, is based on the republican and democratic values enshrined in the constitution of February 18, 2006.

4. Subsequently, we are mobilized to win the elections in order to give a wide majority of the government and have continued to support your action in the head of the country. In this action, the meeting of legitimate aspirations of Congolese people has remained a constant concern. In spite of failures and mistakes related to all human doing, we must recognize that under your leadership, the structural transformation of Congolese society and of the country economy has been well set. Although today social inequalities are still too numerous and poverty continue to hit severely the vast majority of the population, there is not less truth that significant progress have been accomplished in the areas related to the daily life of our compatriots.

5. It is in that mind and in view to safeguard our common values and achievements above mentioned that in last February, after sad events that bereaved the capital as well as a lot of cities of the country and based on the doubt that had conquer Congolese society, particularly among the youth, it was our duty as members of Presidential majority to let you know about our preoccupation on the need to reinforce the contract of trust between the power in place and Congolese people, on one side and among our institutions and international community on the other.

6. Our deep motivation in addressing to your high authority the two letters from last February and March, was on one side to bring our humble contribution to the consolidation of democracy and of civilian peace in order to save our country from useless politics crises and the other side to avoid presidential majority in power to have responsibility of a such crises, with unexpected consequences and which we cannot avoid in our political family along with our country the Democratic Republic of Congo, to come out grown.
7. As a reminder, we have expressed in this correspondence our worries about old reviews or change of our constitution, attempts to rewrite electoral laws, rushing dismemberment of our provinces, controversial organization of local and municipal elections and internal functioning of Presidential Majority, our political family.

8. Today, we are noticing rushing installation of new provinces has led to the weakening of the state and misrule in national territory administration. Moreover, this chaotic situation has brought the constitutional court recently installed, not only to notice it, but also to suggest exceptional rules that upset the constitution.

9. As for the next elections awaited by Congolese people, every day that goes by, brings a lot of confusions instead of clarity. In fact, it is for example, very difficult to understand when CENI and your high authority recognize the relevance of the enlistment of new major, brings the parliament to adopt in a particular way the law on the allocation of seats for local and municipal elections.

10. In truth, the last extraordinary session of the parliament and the order of constitutional court a brought under the request of CENI, Tuesday, Courant September 8, has led to the crush in most of Congolese people that there are unspoken intentions of not respecting the constitution, to discredit and to desecrate institutions on which are based all democratic regime, as it could exist another way that institutional order for which millions of Congolese have made a lot of sacrifices.

11. Moreover, due to the weakening of National cohesion and the slow pace of democratization process, we are experiencing in some parts of National territories interethnic tensions and increase of crimes organized such as cyclic killings in the region of Beni in North Kivu.

12. In this context, to come back to the consent and historical compromising laboriously obtained by the forces of Congolese nation in Sun City, Institutional order written inside the constitution will only increase mistrust towards leaders and generate instability and insecurity His excellency Mr. President of the Republic.

13. The gravity of the situation and the risks that it weight on the future of The Democratic Republic of Congo call to courageous political initiatives as well as on your side and to the one of Presidential Majority.

14. Facing this situation and when and where to prepare for it---And in addition Outside---A political dialogue, we are obliged to bring to you our contribution to the search for effective solutions to the major challenges of the time.

15. In fact, it is fundamental to ensure an absolute respect for the constitution. That respect is a pledge for civil peace, security, stability and unity of our country. As taught by history, in particular the one for our country, those fundamentals for the development of a nation does not come from one man, it is providential also from the action of all citizens sharing same values and looking towards same direction.

16. Have no doubt, the dialogue projected as a failure if it is not based on strong will to affirm the inviolability of our constitution, and to respect all dispositions particularly concerning fundamental values of our national solidarity, freedom of expression and manifestation, electoral deadlines and political changes.

17. As for Electoral process, in search of peace and stability, the organization for free elections, transparency, credibility and settled constitute essential premise in the establishment of democracy and establishment of state of the law. Not being able to organize provincial and senatorial elections in due time and now even the one that are less expensive, mayors and assistant mayors of provinces are surprised by the general suspicion which is set up against us, willing to keep local elections, municipal and urbane.

18. That is why, Mr. President of the Republic, in regard to financial challenges and based on the need of ensuring management of provinces and of respecting what it written on articles 73 and 103 of the constitution, we are before a strong obligation to stop at the organization of presidential elections, legislative, senatorial and provincial, based on a revised file.

19. In the matter of this file, it is important to be reminded that all Congolese must fulfill legal conditions to be voter and eligible, freely exercise his constitutional laws. Therefore, the enrollment to the new majors and cleaning of electoral files are compulsory and appear to us as non- negotiable.

20. Concerning the election of mayors and assistant mayors of new provinces, it is important to mention that it must be organized. It does not fit to use the fishy statement by the recent constitutional court pledge which will only delay the process. Failing to keep it on time for technical objective, urgent modification of the programming law must be in place in the sense of its progressive application, in which this or that province is or is not ready materially or politicaly.

21. It goes without saying that all current difficulties and the delay accumulated in the organization of elections call therefore an adjustment of the electoral calendar. However, this adjustment must imperatively respect the constitutions deadline and be in full transparency. In order to meet the above concerns, it is important to prune the electoral process of all that is the overloaded nature, to delay the deadline and to worsen the climate of peace and national cohesion already fragile.

22. At one year of the elections, eager to preserve democratically the power, in order to continue the work of country recovery agreed with you, the presidential majority must prepare to tackle in complete serenity and in conformity with its chart, the next elections in view of political alternation. We believe that our majority has everything to win in transparency and succeed the bet of political alternation in peace. The actual strategy seems to be suicidal. It is important to adopt another one, more realistic and carrier of success.

23. Such is the approach we are suggestions in order to defuse tension that, since more than one year, increases in the country, to defuse the internal political situation and find together strong solutions towards major challenges in which the Democratic Republic of Congo is facing at the moment, meaning the one for organizations of democratic, transparent and credible elections.

Please accept, His Excellency Mr. President of the Republic, the expression of our highest consideration.